The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has urged senior officers and commanders of Nigeria’s Armed Forces to maintain collaboration and commitment in addressing the security challenges facing the country.
General Musa made this call on Friday as Major General Olufemi Oluyede formally assumed the role of Acting Chief of Army Staff in a ceremony held in Abuja, vowing to tackle insecurity across all states of the federation.
Acknowledging the country’s complex security landscape, Musa emphasized the importance of national unity and teamwork to overcome these challenges. “We cannot afford to stay back and allow insecurity to continue to prevail,” he said, calling for full support to the newly appointed COAS. “It is important that we all understand this clearly and give the acting COAS all the support to make sure he is successful.”
Musa highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Oluyede as the Acting COAS was aimed at ensuring continuity in leadership and minimizing disruptions in the army’s operations. He also praised the former COAS, General Taoreed Lagbaja, describing him as a dedicated and disciplined officer who valued consistency within the Armed Forces. “Gen. Lagbaja is somebody we all know as a regimented fine officer who would not want any gap to occur in his absence,” Musa stated.
Addressing field commanders, the CDS commended their ongoing efforts against bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements. He urged them to remain vigilant, especially with the additional challenges the end of the year typically brings.
“We are moving towards December, and we know the challenges that will come up. So we need to take all measures necessary to ensure that Nigeria remains peaceful,” Musa emphasized.
General Musa assured that all branches of the Armed Forces would work together as a unified team to safeguard Nigeria, aligning their operations with the objectives set by the commander in chief.
He noted that the duty of overseeing the Nigerian Army now falls on Major General Oluyede and that Oluyede’s extensive military experience and proven competence were key factors in his appointment.
“Your responsibilities are wide and varied and cannot be covered in this administrative note,” Musa stated, reminding Oluyede of the depth of his new role. “It is expected that at the end of this formal event, you will be briefed extensively by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army) and other Principal Staff Officers of the Army.”
He underscored the importance of professionalism, discipline, and resilience, urging Oluyede to build on the achievements of previous Army Chiefs.
“It is therefore expected of you to consolidate and improve on the achievements of the substantive COAS and other past chiefs in order to sustain the high level of professionalism, discipline, resilience, and regimentation that the Nigerian army is known for all over the world,” Musa added.
As Oluyede steps into his new role, the Armed Forces remain focused on addressing security challenges and upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s territorial borders through coordinated efforts on land, sea, and air, as outlined in the Nigerian Constitution.
